CFD performance analysis of finned-tube CO2 gas coolers with various inlet air flow patterns
A detailed model of three-dimensional computational fluid dynamics (CFD) on a finned-tube CO2 gas cooler has been developed and validated. The model is then applied to investigate the effect of uniform and mal-distribution inlet airflow profiles on the coil performance. The airflow mal-distribution...
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2020-07-01
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doaj-25ad3ab64bb84eaeb982f240e8ed594b2021-04-02T18:10:17ZengKeAi Communications Co., Ltd.Energy and Built Environment2666-12332020-07-0113233241CFD performance analysis of finned-tube CO2 gas coolers with various inlet air flow patternsXinyu Zhang0Yunting Ge1Jining Sun2Sustainable Environment Research Centre, Faculty of Computing, Engineering and Science, University of South Wales, Pontypridd CF37 1DL, United KingdomSustainable Environment Research Centre, Faculty of Computing, Engineering and Science, University of South Wales, Pontypridd CF37 1DL, United Kingdom; Corresponding author.RCUK National Centre for sustainable Energy Use in Food Chains (CSEF), Institute of Energy Future, Brunel University London, Uxbridge, Middlesex UB8 3PH, United KingdomA detailed model of three-dimensional computational fluid dynamics (CFD) on a finned-tube CO2 gas cooler has been developed and validated. The model is then applied to investigate the effect of uniform and mal-distribution inlet airflow profiles on the coil performance. The airflow mal-distribution velocity profiles include linear-up, linear-down and parabolic while the effected coil performance parameters contain airside pressure drop, average airside heat transfer coefficient, approach temperature and coil heating capacity. The model also enables to predict the CO2 refrigerant temperature profile along the coil pipes from refrigerant inlet to outlet at different operation conditions. The simulation results reveal that different types of inlet airflow velocity profiles have significant effects on the gas cooler performance. The uniform airflow velocity profile case shows the best thermal performance of gas cooler. Compared with the cases of linear-up and parabolic air velocity profiles, the linear-down airflow profile can influence more on the coil heat transfer performance. Due to the thermal conduction between neighbour tubes through coil fins, reversed heat transfer phenomenon exists which can be detected and simulated by the CFD model. It is predicted that the linear-down airflow profile can increase greatly the reversed heat transfer phenomenon and thus lead to the highest approach temperature and the lowest heating capacity amongst these four types of airflow profiles. The research method and outcomes presented in this paper can have great potentials to optimize the performance of a CO2 gas cooler and its associated refrigeration system.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666123320300131CO2 finned-tube gas coolerAirflow misdistributionsHeat transfer coefficientCO2 refrigeration systemComputational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) modelling |
collection |
DOAJ |
language |
English |
format |
Article |
sources |
DOAJ |
author |
Xinyu Zhang Yunting Ge Jining Sun |
spellingShingle |
Xinyu Zhang Yunting Ge Jining Sun CFD performance analysis of finned-tube CO2 gas coolers with various inlet air flow patterns Energy and Built Environment CO2 finned-tube gas cooler Airflow misdistributions Heat transfer coefficient CO2 refrigeration system Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) modelling |
author_facet |
Xinyu Zhang Yunting Ge Jining Sun |
author_sort |
Xinyu Zhang |
title |
CFD performance analysis of finned-tube CO2 gas coolers with various inlet air flow patterns |
title_short |
CFD performance analysis of finned-tube CO2 gas coolers with various inlet air flow patterns |
title_full |
CFD performance analysis of finned-tube CO2 gas coolers with various inlet air flow patterns |
title_fullStr |
CFD performance analysis of finned-tube CO2 gas coolers with various inlet air flow patterns |
title_full_unstemmed |
CFD performance analysis of finned-tube CO2 gas coolers with various inlet air flow patterns |
title_sort |
cfd performance analysis of finned-tube co2 gas coolers with various inlet air flow patterns |
publisher |
KeAi Communications Co., Ltd. |
series |
Energy and Built Environment |
issn |
2666-1233 |
publishDate |
2020-07-01 |
description |
A detailed model of three-dimensional computational fluid dynamics (CFD) on a finned-tube CO2 gas cooler has been developed and validated. The model is then applied to investigate the effect of uniform and mal-distribution inlet airflow profiles on the coil performance. The airflow mal-distribution velocity profiles include linear-up, linear-down and parabolic while the effected coil performance parameters contain airside pressure drop, average airside heat transfer coefficient, approach temperature and coil heating capacity. The model also enables to predict the CO2 refrigerant temperature profile along the coil pipes from refrigerant inlet to outlet at different operation conditions. The simulation results reveal that different types of inlet airflow velocity profiles have significant effects on the gas cooler performance. The uniform airflow velocity profile case shows the best thermal performance of gas cooler. Compared with the cases of linear-up and parabolic air velocity profiles, the linear-down airflow profile can influence more on the coil heat transfer performance. Due to the thermal conduction between neighbour tubes through coil fins, reversed heat transfer phenomenon exists which can be detected and simulated by the CFD model. It is predicted that the linear-down airflow profile can increase greatly the reversed heat transfer phenomenon and thus lead to the highest approach temperature and the lowest heating capacity amongst these four types of airflow profiles. The research method and outcomes presented in this paper can have great potentials to optimize the performance of a CO2 gas cooler and its associated refrigeration system. |
topic |
CO2 finned-tube gas cooler Airflow misdistributions Heat transfer coefficient CO2 refrigeration system Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) modelling |
url |
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666123320300131 |
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